The program of research deals with various aspects of the structure and function of antibody molecules and immunoglobulin variants produced by normal individuals as well as those with multiple myeloma and related plasma cellular neoplasms. Use of these immunoglobulin variants produced by neoplastic plasma cells and lymphocytes is expected to shed insight into the genetic control of immunoglobulin structure and synthesis. The second area deals with the structure and function of certain membrane proeins on normal and transformed lymphocytes and fibroblasts and the corresponding serum proteins. The third project deals with the factors involved in the production of rheumatoid factor cryoglobulins which result in an immune complex type of nephritis and vasculitis. Recent studies have demonstrated that the immune complexes appear to be related to hepatitis B virus infection and it is our goal to determine how the hepatitis B virus initiated the production of these molecules and what role they play in the disease. The last aspect of the project deals with the structure and possible function of the major protein constituents of amyloid, i.e. the AA, the SAA, and the P proteins. In addition to studying their structure, we hope to investigate also their metabolism and especially their degradation in the hope of detecting certain defects in catabolism of these molecules which can be implicated in the pathogenesis of the disease.